Eliminating the Eyesore – Expansion Tank R&D, Part 4: Final Form

They say that good things come to those who wait, and we’d certainly say that’s the case with the Mishimoto 2016+ Camaro expansion tank. Note that I did not specify “SS” here. This tank also fits on the 2.0T, but we haven’t gotten a change to test it out on a V6 model yet, though it should fit. If any V6 owners are local to the Philadelphia area and want to come on by for a test fit so that we can be 100% sure, please reach out!

We’ve tested the tank on both of our Camaros, and we’ve gone through several stages of refinement, ultimately ending up with quite the fine-looking aluminum piece. Oh, and did I mention it’s already on Pre-Sale?

Expanding on the Stock Design

As a reminder for those of you who have been following along the whole time, and as a quick catch-me-up for those of you who are just joining us, the stock tank design in this car actually comprises two different enclosures: an overflow tank and an expansion tank. The expansion tank is a pressurized cavity that serves as a direct part of the cooling system, serving as a reservoir for excess coolant to collect as it expands and contracts with variance in temperature.

The overflow tank, the bottom section of the unit, is not pressurized, and simply serves to collect coolant that has been “bled off” or purged from the system in an over-capacity condition. There is a line that leads into the overflow tank to allow the primary system to re-absorb “overflow” coolant when vacuum conditions create a draw.

Think of the coolant overflow reservoir as a nice cool bottle of lemonade, and the re-absorbing line as a straw through which your Camaro slurps that stuff up once conditions require it. Early prototypes featured bendy-tubes and tubes shaped like Mickey Mouse, but after losing a few engineers to a refreshing drink of coolant, we decided to nix that idea. I’m only kidding, of course. (WARNING – I think this probably goes without saying, but one never knows: please DO NOT drink coolant.)

The overflow section (bottom) incorporates a sight tube, and the expansion section uses a sight glass.

Our tank, like the stock system, features an expansion tank up top with an integrated overflow tank below. We’ve taken the design one step further, however, and added a sight glass in the expansion tank and a sight tube in the overflow tank. And, of course, we’ve replaced the ugly plastic tank with a fine-looking aluminum construction in your choice of two great colors!

These integrations will allow you to easily observe whether your car is satiated, or whether it needs a little more coolant to keep things chilly. Somehow, I don’t think you guys will need these too much on your brand-new Camaros. As the owner and operator of both a 15-year old Subaru engine and a 25-year old BMW engine, however, I can tell you that these features come in handy. Not having them can result in some very frustrating situations, and some very colorful language. While we’re on the subject of color…

Matte Black is the New Black

One more cool thing that I want to touch on is your other choice in color. Per usual, we are offering this tank in either polished or black, but we’ve decided to switch things up a bit for the black version. Traditionally, our black aluminum tanks have a glossy sheen to them, but with the menacing, understated, luxo-stealth aesthetic of all the other black plastic components under the bonnet of your Camaro, we wanted to ensure that our product was a perfect complement. For that reason, we’ve opted for a striking matte black finish. Check it out below.

There you have it, folks! As I mentioned before, the Pre-sale is up and running, so pick up your tank at the limited-time discounted price via the link below.